We all know that learning a language, especially English is never an easy ride! You’ll always be faced with some bumps along the way, whether it’s learning the correct pronunciation for “the” or differentiating between “their, there and they’re“.

However, you should always be looking for different ways of engaging with the English language, and listening to podcasts is a great method!

Why? Well, listening to podcasts to learn Shakespeare’s language is extremely beneficial in many ways:

They’re expressive: by listening to podcasts on a daily or weekly basis, you’ll come to terms with the real English pronunciation, whilst improving your listening and comprehension of the language enormously.

Most of them are free: we can all agree we saved the best benefit until last! Listening to an English podcast on YouTube or on the BBC is absolutely free, all you need is an internet connection. There is no need to subscribe or to commit yourself to a costly price every month.

The English We Speak

Every week, the BBC looks at an everyday English phrase or a saying through a podcast. It offers you a short snippet of useful English slang you can use on a trip to an Anglophone country!

These podcasts help with grammar, listening, and pronunciation. Each podcast lasts around 3-4 minutes, allowing you to familiarise yourself with English jargon, from BBC’s very own English native speakers.

The English We Speak on the BBC offers different podcasts weekly! (Source: www.bbc.co.uk)

Each video is short and interactive, the perfect way to learn English idioms if you don’t have too much time on your hands.

And, it’s absolutely free!

All Ears English

All Ears English have adopted a fun way to master the English language.

Three girls from the USA, Lindsay, Michelle, and Jessica believe “in connection, not perfection“. They say that the best way of learning English is by throwing away your English dictionaries and grammar books!

I bet you like the sound of this!

They give you an insight into great English conversation starters. For example, “How to connect to people in the LGBT community”, “How to stay calm when the cashier asks you quick questions in English”, or “What’s it like to be single in New York City”.

This series is not exactly educational, but you’ll still be improving your understanding of the English language and your pronunciation and it’s great if you’re looking to visit an Anglophone country!

Their podcasts are perfect for a fun way of learning English conversation starters! (Source: www.allearsenglish.com)

The podcasts aren’t all free. But All Ears English does offer great deals you can opt to pay for to maximise your understanding of the English language.

English Class 101

Are you a beginner or advanced English speaker? Well, don’t worry because EnglishClass101 lets you choose from four levels to match your requirements. The podcasts are acted out by English native speakers and they speak at different speeds according to your level, so you will not feel pressurised.

Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced English speaker, EnglishClass101 is tailored for you! (Source: www.englishclass101.com)

You’ll also learn about English culture in a fun and intriguing way. EnglishClass101 also concentrates on English vocabulary and key phrases. After each podcast, you’ll learn a little about English grammar, but don’t worry, not in a boring way!

EnglishClass101 is not entirely free, but you do get a free trial to see if you enjoy the podcasts and are improving in English. If so, you can choose to subscribe to anything ranging from a 1-month membership to a 24-month membership.

British Council Podcasts

The British Council’s podcasts are quite different to the ones we have seen earlier on. The English lessons are rather lengthy, which is unusual for a podcast, they last 25 minutes! But, they are extremely helpful and you are not obliged to listen to them in one go, you can pause it and go back to it later on.

The hosts in the podcasts act out everyday situations which you may experience in an Anglophone country. They include a large variety of topics and offer different lessons for children and adults.

The British Council have been teaching English for over 75 years. They’re experts at this!

The British Council offer a variety of different topics, such as “how to speak English in the professional world?” and “how to speak English at University?”

The lessons are extremely interactive, fun, enjoyable and stimulating and they’re free!

Splendid Speaking

Splendid Speaking have designed their podcasts for those who already have a good knowledge of the English language. Each podcast features an English native speaker having a conversation with a non-native English speaker. The podcasts are accompanied by feedback from the English native speaker on how the English learner did.

This is an extremely interesting way to learn, because the non-native speaker may make the same errors you make, so you can learn to avoid them! It is also extremely fun and interesting to see how others who are in the same boat as you cope with the English language.

Better at English

Better at English offer podcasts that feature real life conversations with English native speakers. There are a variety of topics, ranging from silly and laid back podcasts to quite serious ones. You’ll be listening to real English conversations, the pronunciation will be extremely natural.

Listen to these podcasts to increase your knowledge in English (Source: www.betteratenglish.com)

As well as podcasts featuring English native speakers, you’ll have the option of viewing short English lessons online on all things to do with English, such as grammar, pronunciation, or spelling, which will be accompanied by listening quizzes and language learning tips!

You will familiarise yourself with the pace of the English language as well as English phrases and idioms. The podcasts are accompanied by subtitles so you can read as you listen, improving your English listening as well as your English spelling.

At the end of each podcast, you are given a list of vocabulary to consolidate what you learned in the podcast. So, introduce Better at English into your life to jazz up your daily routine!

And, it’s free!

Conclusion

As you can see, English podcasts are the perfect way to improve your level in English quickly, in a fun and interactive way. You can pause the podcast when you feel like it and pick up from where you left off later on.

Listening to podcasts featuring English native speakers give you an insight into what to expect in an Anglophone country.

You can listen to these anywhere and everywhere, there is no pressure and you can learn English at your own pace, with no homework!